Relief valve for closed containers



June 27, 1933. c; M, GERE 1,915,49G

RELEIF VALVEFOR CLOSED CONTAINERS Filed April 5, 1932 Patented June 1933 our-ran srArEs PATENT OFFICE Cm GM, 01' sum BAY, WISCGNSIN, ABSIG-NOR 1'0 NATURAL omen COBPQMTIOH, DOVER, DELAWAIELE, ACOBIPOBATION OF DELAWARE nnnm vuvn non cnosnn oon'rnmnns Application one April 5,

This invention relates to containers, perticulerly adapted to the retail packaging 0 cheese or other products in which a curing process involving a fermentative reaction c takes place within the container.

The main object of the invention is to provide containers of this character with a relief valve edspted for eutomaticsll venting contniners of the character descri d, to relieve these containers of the excess pressure of carbon dioxide gas generated by fermentation, and at the some time to prevent the entrance of air into the container.

Another object of the invention is to re vide a container of this character wit a 'vslve, the tension of which may be regulated in accordance with the gas pressure in the container to be controlled by said valve.

A further object of the'invention is to provide a valve of this character which is made of material insuring a positive release from the container under pressure and therefore insuring am positive venting of the container under all conditions. j v

@ther objects of the invention will becomeapparent as the detailed description thereof proceeds.

lnthe drawing:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of part of a container having the invention applied thereto; I

Figure 2 is a fragmentary plan view of the container with the aforesaid invent-ion applied thereto;

Figure 3 is a vertical section taken on the line 23-43 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary detail illustrat a modification of the aforesaid invention;

g5 on Figure 5 is a transverse section taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 4.

As shown in the drawing, the container 1 has a head 2 provided with a recess 3 adapted to receive the valve mechanism forming the subject matter of this application. The recess 3 is of suficient depth to avoid displacement thereof in the normal handling of this 15 of container. In other words, the recess i0- 315 deep enough to support the valve mech- 1939. Serial Ho. 608,802.

snislln completely below the upper surface of f the head 2.

in the form of the invention shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3, the recessed part 3 of the head 2 is provided with a vent 4. This vent 4 is normally closed by a valve plate 5 formed preferably of cork or similar material which 15 impregnated with parafiin in order to insure apositive release from the bottom of the recess 3 under pressure of the as in the container through the vent 4. e parafin impregnated cork 5 is suitably secured to a metallic plate 6 bored to receive the ends of two spring wires 7 and 8 having their ends secured by s patch of solder 9 near the outer end of the recess 3. The other ends of the wires 7 and 8 are soldered or otherwise suitabl secured to the plates 6.

t is absolutely necessary in this-art, that the valve plates 5 shall not stick to the container. The sticking of the valve would cause too much gas to be retained within the container, thereby ruining the cheew, or similar article within the container, and bulging the head of the can. The pressure of the valve plate 5 over the vent in the head of the can may be regulated byrthe length and size 'of the spring wires 7 and 8. As an alternativeto this, the recess 3 may have its opposite walls 10 and 1-1 provided with notched plates 12 and 13, respectively, to receive slidably the opposite ends of an adjustable plate 14.

It will be apparent from Figures 4 and 5 of the drawing that this plate 14 may be set in I and slid lengthwise of any of the notches to vary the pressure of the valve plate 5 over the vent in the head of the container.

As is well hown in this art, it is desirable to pack cheese while in an uncured state, in containers and in quantities such as are generslly sold retail. The curing of the cheese may then take place within the container with the added advantage that there is no loss of weight by evaporation, no formation of rind, and no opportunity for mold growth. It is well known too that the fermentation process is accompanied b the evolution of carbon dioxide gas with t e risk of swelling .the head of the container or burstin it. It

is essential, therefore, to provide t e conasiaaeo tainer with some means for relieving it of exoess pressure of carbon dioxide and at the same time to revent ingress o .a heric air to the pac ed-product. It is abso utely esential that whatever means are provided for thisurpose it must be incapable of sticking, to 0 11d of the container and must be such that the pressure of the fermentative gases will be sure to force the valve awaiv'l roin the vent opening in order to release suc gases.

While I have described the invention as articularly ada ted for use in containers 0 peel: g c eese, itma be remarked that ltis ust as well suited or the packaging of sauer kraut andother food stufis in which fermentation process takes place. It

will be .understood,'of course, that the valve may be applied directly to the flat surface of a container and is not nrily limited to use in r "v: formed in said container. The are desirable merelyxto avoid the go'ssibility of the valve being displaced by andling.

* While I have described my invention as embodied in concrete form and as'operating in a specific manner in accordance with the provisions of the atent statutes, it should be understood that do not limit my invention '9 thereto, since various modifications thereof will suggest themselves to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit'of my invention, the scope of which is set forth in the annexed claims. Y

WhatIclaim'isr p v 1. A container I having a recess formed therein and having a vent formed in-the bottom wall of said recess, a cork valve seated in said recess over said vent, a pair of spring 9 blades having one end of each secured to sai valve and having the other ends secured to the bottom wall of said recess, said spr' and valve being wholly contained within said recess. a

i 2. The combinationset forth claim '1, of means for adjusting the yielding pmssure. of the valve over said vent. 1

3. The combination set'forth in claim 1,- and means slidably adjustable in said recess 0 for varying of the valve over sa1dvent.fi I I 4. The combination set forth in claim 1, of means slida lilyland vertically adjustable in said to vary the pressure of said valve-over said vent.

In testimony'whereof I afix my signature. 

